GrownUp Life Day Wish
by Narya's Bane
Summary: The events left uncovered by Krytos Trap, assuming Corran was lost near Life Day distinct possibility. MiraxCorran holiday love story. Plus Happy Holidays, Everyone!


Disclaimer-ish: I own- nothing.  
  
Key: ~*~*~*~*~*~*= day switch  
  
- - - - - - -= within same day  
  
* * * * * * *= flashback  
  
Grown-Up Christmas List  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Mirax wandered outside in the colony, letting the chilling cold beat against her a moment before closing her jacket to the bitter chill. She walked down an abandoned street, breathing in the near-freezing air, and wished everything could be over. Closing her eyes, she continued her trek in a vain attempt to clear her mind.  
  
Corran Horn had been dead for nearly a month, and had it been any other time of year such an occurrence would hardly have registered so long after the demise of a mere acquaintance- even a potential lover, and certainly the only son of her father's one true enemy. But it was Life Day tomorrow, and Mirax was stuck alone with the verachen searching for a cure for the deadly krytos virus unloaded by Ysanne Isard, last of the Emperor's regime. This left Mirax lonely, and wishing for Corran over the holidays. She knew, deep down, it was ridiculous; still, she knew he would have been different.  
  
A verachen ran down to meet her, and Mirax turned before it could catch up to her. "I'm coming back," she promised, a light cough proclaiming its presence at the end of her sentence.  
  
"We are supposed to take care of you, Captain Terrik," the exoskeletoned alien rebuked. "You must watch yourself; being out in this weather is not good for your health."  
  
"Neither is the center anymore," Mirax countered. "Not after the strain you found last night." The evening prior, they'd found a piece of krytos that had potential to mutate into a form transferable to humans.  
  
"We will send you back shortly with a cure. Be patient." The words, certainly meant to be reassuring, did nothing to help Mirax. "All that remains now is for verachen to mass-produce what we have found: rylca."  
  
Rylca. It would put an end to so many troubles.  
  
"Tomorrow, you will go. It is a Life Day present, from our people to the New Republic, in hopes of starting a new future. A better tomorrow."  
  
As Mirax went back to her ship, she sat in a chair a moment simply thinking. A better tomorrow? One where the Corrans of the world didn't risk their lives, didn't get cut down before they really lived? Too late for that- too late for her. And somehow, it wasn't a wonder. A part of her truly had died with Corran, in spite of the fact they'd barely known each other. And now. . .  
  
Now they never would.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Thank you for keeping it a secret, Commander Antilles."  
  
Wedge smiled at the bright-eyed pilot across the desk. Corran Horn, escape artist extraordinaire, sat with his old partner from CorSec, gently rubbing the top of her hand as they discussed the plans that would be carried out.  
  
"It is my pleasure, Horn. This way, Rogue Squadron gets a Life Day present and Mirax gets her life back. Not to mention the privacy you will have before getting flooded with interviews and bombarded by questions."  
  
"You're just concerned about Mirax beating you to a pulp if she didn't find out first," Corran's beautiful partner Iella whispered.  
  
"That too, yes," he admitted. "So here is what we're going to do, to make sure she DOES. . ."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Mirax knew that the load was vital to the New Republic. After all, rylca would be the one thing to cure krytos! After so long, it was about time the public knew how much the new leadership cared. It was Mirax's job to present this gift to them all; in doing so, it would become evident that she was still alive. Perhaps, though, Mirax wanted to stay hidden.  
  
The fact this was all occurring the night before Life Day was helping not at all. Mirax wanted nothing more than to have arms wrapped around her, and a big kiss, and a gentle voice saying everything was all right. But that was not happening this year; not the way she needed it to. Corran Horn was the only one whose words would make sense saying all was well, and he alone could hold her close and mean it. But Corran had died about a month ago, breaking her heart thoroughly. All she wanted was to get that back. . .  
  
It was Life Day doing it, in combination with the exhausted hours with verachen helping perfect the formula. The last day had left her even more tired than usual, likely because she'd known it was the end and the start of reality. No more could she be tight in her own box. She felt exposed, open to attack, and attempted to close the gap in her defenses.  
  
A warning from her copilot made Mirax aware the Pulsar Skate was nearing Coruscant. She gave a reluctant order to set down, then shook the haziness from her mind. Everything would work out in time; that was what she learned. But this Life Day would inevitably be spent alone, locked in a room, wishing things were different.  
  
"Set it down gently, Liat," Mirax asked. "We don't want anything damaged."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"She's going to need this badly," Wedge sighed, turning to Corran. "If you thought I reacted oddly. . ."  
  
"Mirax will be a mess," Corran answered with a smile. "I know; that's part of why I want you to prepare her for the shock first. I don't want to harm her by surprise."  
  
"Understood."  
  
A commlink buzzed; anxious, Corran looked right into Wedge's eyes and smiled as the call was taken. "Antilles? Skate is coming down for a landing."  
  
"Copy," was the answer. "I'll be right there."  
  
"I'll wait for your call," Corran informed Wedge. "You can tell me whether to meet you somewhere or proceed with the plan."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Mirax! Mirax, welcome home." But she didn't run up to him as he thought she might- neither did she smile his way. All she managed to do was glance and nod, but wave him off with a closed palm. That was not a typical response from the Mirax he remembered; she would at least recognize his friendship. Whatever had happened to her, she seemed distant and unwilling to cooperate.  
  
"So much for niceties," Wedge mumbled, walking off and keying his comm. "Part A a failure," he reported to the others on that station. "Proceed with Part B."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Mirax was just barely thinking when she went into the room that was usually ready for her around these parts; once in, she went right to the refresher unit. Exiting, she slipped into a comfortable pair of black pajamas and looked around for cameras she could only assume would be activated. Unable to detect any in her sleepy state, she simply keyed the voice-lock on the door to answer to no living man except her father, and hid under the covers of her bed to wait until the sun rose and decide if things had improved at all.  
  
From there, she fell immediately into a deep, troubled sleep.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Wedge met Corran and Iella in an observation booth for security, patting the shoulder of the fourth man who had sat up there all day for them.  
  
"Got anything, Wes?"  
  
"Not a thing, Wedge; she hasn't moved from position since she got in."  
  
"She's there?" Corran asked.  
  
"There," Wes answered, pointing to the wad of blanket in the corner of the bed. "She's not moving; door is keyed to her father and no living man, like that of the Pulsar Skate."  
  
Corran smiled. "Like on the Skate?"  
  
Wes nodded.  
  
"Then it recognizes me as dead, like the Skate just did a few minutes ago?"  
  
Wedge nodded.  
  
"So I can get in later?"  
  
Iella actually cracked a smile- her first, since the death of her husband.  
  
"If you want. . ." Corran interrupted Wes' comment.  
  
"Can you guys go? I just want to look for a moment, if that's okay. . ."  
  
The others were soon gone, leaving only the young pilot at the camera, watching the darkened room where the woman he'd fallen for stayed. He knew she was hurting, and tried to imagine the extent of it. His mind went back, remembering a few hours when he'd thought her dead; it was then he realized it was love. . .  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Tycho was cleared, and had finished hugging those responsible for his release. Now he went up to Corran in the suddenly empty courtroom and offered his hand. Corran took it, soon finding himself in an unexpected brotherly embrace. "I knew it wasn't possible," Tycho had joked quietly. Then he went over to the defendant stand and grabbed a bottle and two glasses. "It isn't Corellian, but it will help to celebrate. I insist!"  
  
Corran had assented, since he'd been imprisoned by the enemy about a month, and soon took the glass to his lips. "To health," Tycho cheered, following the example. "And may our friends be as happy tonight as it seems right now."  
  
"Here here," Corran had agreed with a smile. "I just hope none are too shocked. How are they all? And Mirax! I've been thinking of her so often. . ." The sympathetic frown on his friend's face had been enough to stop that train of thought.  
  
"She was killed, Corran; I'm sorry."  
  
"How?" It was the only response available in his surprised, unbelieving state.  
  
"Bacta convoy, a few weeks ago; they were attacked. She had no chance, none at all. Again, I'm so sorry. . ."  
  
Corran drained his glass quickly, closing his eyes against his imagination. He knew there was little chance; still. . .  
  
It was then that Kracken came in. Only a few hours later, Corran had the truth; there'd been word from the verachen, and Mirax was safe with them. But no messages were possible except for in roundabout channels, so Mirax could not be told of his survival. And therefore, it remained a secret, something to surprise her with in joy. For that, Corran had resigned to wait.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Until now. Corran looked at her form again, and sighed. She would be heartbroken right now; if he felt love, Mirax had to at least know the echo of the emotion! And Corran knew that Life Day hurt without the ones you care about. She needed her friends, her backbone to survival.  
  
And him! Corran slipped from the room with a wry smile, practically floating down the hallway and to her door. He spoke his own name, and the door opened for him right off. Quietly, so as not to wake Mirax, he entered and sat next to her on the bed. Gently, he took the covers from her face and kissed a cheek. The sleeping woman moved, albeit slowly and with some pain, and seemed genuinely tired out. Then Corran noticed a few things, and remembered the symptoms of krytos he'd been told. . .  
  
A quick run to the rylca producers proved his suspicions correct, but he returned to Mirax with the cure in his hand less than an hour after he'd gone to her- it was midnight.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Mirax woke up in the darkness and felt an arm around her waist. She grasped it, smelling the rugged scent, and knew it could only be Wedge. There were only two she knew of with the fragrance of a worn-out Corellian. Yet when she turned to rebuke her old friend, she found it wasn't him. It was the other, who she'd thought dead! But now he was sleeping soundly, and comfortably, as if all had been a bad dream. She went back to her former position, drawing him closer. If this were a dream, it was amazing; if she were dead, she was obviously now happy. And if it was real, the world was back to rights, and she was going to be getting the best Life Day present possible.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Mirax woke up again, this time from the light hitting her eyes. She realized she was alone, and bit her lip to ward away tears. It had all been a dream, a good one, yet Life Day dawned with no miracle.  
  
Then she heard a flushing from the 'fresher and turned with a jerk to see Corran exit, a lopsided smile on his face and a shirt in the corner. He had many muscles, she now saw, and found herself quite impressed. Still, that was more the fact he was alive than any other reason.  
  
"You're late," she said in old corellian.  
  
"Had to make a stop at Ysanne's," he rebuked jokingly, surprised by the sting it brought to her eyes. "You've been ill a while, I believe, with krytos. Don't worry; the humans you've had close contact with have been given a vaccine of sorts and you will be fine." He sat beside her again, kissing her sweetly. "And you know what? I'm alive. And I love you."  
  
Mirax threw her arms around his neck and brushed her lips on his cheek. "I love you!"  
  
An alarm went off, and Corran hit it. "We can't be late for Iella's party. Her husband has died, and she ought not to be alone today any more than you, my love. Rogue Squadron has assembled, and they know nothing of this. Let's get going!"  
  
- - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Mirax and Corran walked down the street, her presents carried cunningly in a bag. Corran carried this bag. At Iella's door, he slunk behind a pillar and waited for a signal from her. She rang the doorbell; Gavin answered.  
  
"Mirax? I thought you wouldn't make it."  
  
"So had I," she answered honestly. "But I couldn't miss out on the best Life Day celebration on Coruscant. I just had a boy from the base carry my presents for me; hopefully, nobody will mind him joining us. . ."  
  
Using this as a cue, Corran came into sight; immediately, he was attacked by his fellow pilots- all in a row.  
  
"Corran! Knew they couldn't get you."  
  
"Thought that was your voice last week on the comm, but I wasn't about to ask."  
  
"Whatever you did, don't do it again."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Corran walked Mirax back to her apartment, and they stood in the doorway a moment. Reluctantly, he let her hand go and planted a greatly deserved kiss directly on her lips, putting fire behind it.  
  
"You know," she said after, "the news will get news that you were out, and are alive. They might be waiting for you when you get back to the inner base. If you want, I can- entertain you here. Tonight."  
  
Corran smiled, pushing her inside playfully and closing the door. "Happy Life Day, sweetheart."  
  
"I didn't get you a real gift," Mirax chuckled, "so we'll have to make do."  
  
Corran tossed his jacket into one corner, and his shirt in one parallel. "Yes, I'm sure we can do just fine." 


End file.
